


Bat on a Hot Tin Roof

by afterandalasia



Series: Adventures in Slash: Romance Without Boundaries [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Flirting, Communication Failure, Crack, Crossover Pairings, Flash Fic, M/M, Romantic Comedy, Slash: Romance Without Boundaries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 16:31:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7113553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterandalasia/pseuds/afterandalasia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Honestly, Zuko's best guess is that the guy wants to kill him.</p><p>The reality might be stranger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bat on a Hot Tin Roof

**Author's Note:**

> The theme for this was "characters with angst", to be paired with Batman, in a romcom setting.
> 
> This is my first attempt to write anything in Avatar fandom, and it might show. I can only apologise. Questionable characterisation may occur on both fronts for this story to even, well, exist.

“I’m pretty sure that guy wants to kill me,” said Zuko, concern on his features as he clutched his drink.

Mai sighed. “I’m sure that he doesn’t.”

“He’s _glaring_ at me.”

She looked coolly over, despite the look on Zuko’s face which told her not to, to the black-dressed Earth City citizen that apparently had Zuko so worried. He did not look like anything particularly special; smartly-dressed, yes, which suggested wealth, as did the way in which he held himself. The confidence.

“Besides,” she said, “I doubt that Mr. Wayne would be able to do anything to you. I’m sure that you’re able to protect yourself by now.”

After all this time, he was getting better at telling subtle compliments from subtle insults, but still he glared at her a little. Which was an improvement from the look of fear. Mai raised one eyebrow slightly as she took a sip of her drinks.

Finally, Zuko shook his head. “He was doing it the last time we were at the same gathering, as well.”

“I’m sure that he’s not an Earth Kingdom terrorist waiting to take his chance to assassinate the Fire Lord,” she said.

“That’s not funny.”

The corners of her mouth twitched into a smile all the same.

 

 

 

There is _something_ on the rooves above him.

He might not have Toph’s abilities, might not be able to see through his feet, but Zuko did not fight for years to gain no skills from it. He knew that there was someone moving across the rooves of the buildings, following him as he made his way along quiet roads and alleys.

Another turn, this one almost back on itself, and the figure followed. Definitely following him, then.

Zuko took a deep breath, allowing the heat of fire to burn up through him. Even dressed plainly and with his hair loose, he knew that he was recognisable face-to-face, but had hoped for some privacy at least this late at night.

At least there were not normal citizens around to see this, he supposed.

He turned down another alley, then spun, planting his stance and bringing through his hand to shoot a tight stream of fire at the figure. For an instant he saw them, dressed in some strange dark armour, the fire dissipating out over it like wind peeling around a tree. All the same, it knocked them back, and Zuko turned his hands to the ground to aid his jump with a burst of fire, pushing him easily up onto the roof of the building.

As he landed, the figure had rolled to their feet. They were dressed all in black, with a cloak, and some sort of tight mask-cowl over the upper half of their face.

“Who are you?” said Zuko, pointing a warning hand at the figure. They – he, almost certainly he, tall and with a broad chest beneath the black – clenched gloved fists, and glared from beneath the cowl.

Glared.

Zuko recognised it, and paused for a moment, then frowned and stepped forward with a shift of his arm to ready a blast of fire if it was needed.

“As far as I see, you are following someone, possibly with the intent to harm. Why should I not call the army?”

For a moment longer, then man glared, then cleared his throat awkwardly. “I… wanted to talk?”

Gruff, but recognisable. Even with the artificial deepness and rasping of the voice, Zuko was immediately certain of who it was. He sighed. Even he could do better than that when it came to talking to people.

“Well,” he said, finally letting his stance relax. “You’ve got a terrible way of going about it.”


End file.
